What’s more painful than a PET Scan?

The answer is, of course, 2 PET Scans! How do I know the answer to this age-old riddle? Oh you guessed it - because yesterday I got to have 2 PET Scans. It’s a funny story really, unless you’re me and had to live it. So naturally I was anxious about having this procedure, and the whole day had me on edge. I got up early so I could eat something before the 6 hour fasting began - shoving cookies and diet coke in my mouth just before the 7:30 am cutoff time (don’t judge me - I have cancer so I can do whatever I want). Work kept me busy for the day and about noon my mom and sister Heather came to pick me up to take me to the Anaheim Kaiser Hospital. They tried to sneak in and wait with me in the lobby, but alas still no visitors allowed in hospitals. So I waited alone for them to call my name and take me outside of the hospital to a portable trailer where they have the PET Scan machines. They explained that they keep them in mobile units so several hospitals can share the machines. They also explained that once they inject me with the radioactive solution, that I wouldn’t be allowed back in the hospital since I could endanger other patients. Huh, well then why would they have scheduled my echocardiogram right after the PET Scan? Nobody knew. Okay, so that won’t be happening today - now back to the PET Scan. So they hook me up - setup the IV, and inject radioactive (juice? no that can’t be right), then then escort me outside of the mobile trailer to a pop-up tent for me to sit out there for 40 minutes while we wait for the stuff to work it’s way in. I’m then brought back into the PET Scan trailer where I sit with the machine for several more minutes. They have me get on the uncomfortable board and cover me in blankets and then leave me in the room alone. Now, keep in mind I had already told the guy that laying on my back is incredibly painful and I wanted to be in that position for as little time as possible - he even wrote it down on my chart. So after about 5 minutes, that felt like 30, I’m laying there consumed with burning pain in my right hip, so I said screw it and got up. They came in a few minutes later and said oh yeah you don’t have to be on the table yet, we’re not quite ready to start. Great, thanks for letting me know! So when the time finally came, I got back into the bad position and tried my best to stay still for the 15 minute scan. I’m not claustrophobic, so that’s a plus, but my hip and leg almost immediately started to throb again. I held my breath and did my best and finally it was done. I get up put my shoes on and head out - back to the front of the hospital to get picked up by my mom and sister Heather. I have to walk around the backside of the hospital since I’m not allowed back inside while I’m still radioactive. I quickly swallowed an edible - something I never used to carry around with me - but now I can’t leave the house without. Trying to relax and ease the pain for the car ride home. We were about 15 minutes down the road when my phone rings - I see it’s Anaheim, so I figure it’s the hospital calling me to reschedule the echocardiogram I missed. “You can come back now” the woman on the other end said. “No that’s okay, I’ll just reschedule for another day”, I replied. She seemed confused and then said, “No I need you to come back now - there were missing images on your scan and you have to re-do the PET scan while the radiation is still active.” Huh? They messed up? I have to go back and do it again? Are you shitting me? U-turn and back toward the hospital. Walk around the backside of the building bypassing the lobby and straight to the PET Scan trailer. Back on the hard table, back to excruciating pain, and finally back to the car again to head home and not touch my children, because of course I’m now radioactive (as in the amazing and under appreciated Kings of Leon song and not the overplayed Imagine Dragons song). And yes, in case you’re wondering, I made sure to ask the lady if she’s sure she got all of the images this time. I’m glad that’s over, but I’m incredibly nervous for those results. I have this aching feeling the scan will show cancer all throughout my body in all of my lymph nodes. I keep thinking I can’t be in this much pain and only be stage 1. I would be really surprised to hear anything other than Stage 4. So many people have reached out to me to tell me their story of cancer survival and there has been a lot of people letting me know they’re Stage 4 and beat it - so I know it’s possible. I also know this cancer is the type that likes to come back every few years. I’m prepared for the uphill journey because that means I’ll be around for said journey. I’m ready to fight for as long as I have. But am I ready for tomorrow’s Bone Marrow Biopsy? The answer is NO - and of course I made the mistake of googling it. Stop Googling Shit! This is my new mantra.